With a priceless throwback photo featuring baby Rishi Kapoor in her arms, veteran playback singer Lata Mangeshkar paid rich tributes to the actor and said his departure is a huge loss to the film industry.
The 90-year-old Bharat Ratna Awardee took to Twitter and shared the monochromatic picture which was sent to her by Rishi himself.
She wrote, "Kuch samay pehle Rishi ji ne mujhe unki aur meri ye tasveer bheji thi.wo sab din,sab baatein yaad aarahi hain. Main shabdheen hogayi hun." (A few days back Rishi sent this picture of us to me. I am remembering all those days, and the conversations. I am short of words.)
She further tweeted, "Kya kahun? Kya likhu kuch samajh mein nahi aaraha hai.Rishi ji ke nidhan se mujhe bahut dukh ho raha hai.Unke jaane se film industry ki bahut ha hui hai. Ye dukh sehena mere liye bahut mushkil hai.Bhagwan unki aatma ko shanti pradan karein." (What should I say, I can't express the pain through words. I am in immense sorrow due to the demise of Rishi Kapoor. The film industry has suffered a huge loss due to his departure. It is very difficult for me to go through this pain. May God grant peace to his soul.)
Rishi passed away at 8:45 am this morning after a two-year-long battle with leukaemia, his family said in a statement. Rishi Kapoor was admitted to the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Earlier today, Amitabh Bachchan was the first to confirm the news of the demise of the 67-year-old.
He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.
Often branded as Bollywood's first chocolate boy, he touched heights of stardom in the film industry with iconic roles in blockbuster hits like 'Bobby', 'Chandni', 'Karz' and many others.
Son of Bollywood's showman Raj Kapoor and his wife Krishna Raj Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor is survived by wife Neetu and children Ranbir and Riddhima.
( With inputs from ANI )